FIR-THEE. 



with the superintendence, which had been 

 before one of the privileges of the ruined 

 Corinthians. 



The fir was also dedicated to Pan as the 

 god of huntsmen ; and from his supposed 

 residence being in those woods that are situ- 

 ated on rugged mountains, where the pine and 

 fir-tree love to dwell. 



The fir-tree was also sacred to Cybele, the 

 wife of Saturn ; hence Atys is generally re- 

 presented as being supported by a fir-tree. 

 The cones of the fir-tree were employed in 

 the mysteries of Cybele, where even the 

 priests were the first to indulge in the un- 

 bounded licentiousness and obscenities which 

 prevailed in this festival. 



The cones of the fir-tree were also offered 

 up to Bacchus, and were likewise to be seen 

 on the altars of jEsculapius. 



Most of the temples of antiquity had their 

 sacred groves or forests attached to them, 

 where those abominable rites were often cele- 

 brated with the most horrible indecencies 

 and terrible sacrifices. Cinnis, or Cercyon, 

 was surnamed the bender of pines, because he 

 tied his victims to the tops of two pines, 

 which he bent down, and which, when he suf- 

 fered them to rise again, tore the unfortunate 

 wretch to pieces- 



Q 4 



